FCC Adopts Two Items, Continues to Tackle Robocalls at August Open Meeting

The STIR/SHAKEN implementation deadline has passed, but the fight against illegal robocalls is far from over. At the August Open Meeting, the FCC adopted two items which would refine the FCC’s processes and adopt new tools to fight illegal robocalls.

Token Revocation Report and Order

First, the FCC adopted a Report & Order that establishes a process for appeals to the FCC of the private Governance Authority’s decision to revoke a voice service provider’s STIR/SHAKEN Service Provider Code (“SPC”). The FCC’s rules require voice service providers to implement and participate in the STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication framework, and to do this voice service providers must obtain an SPC token. To guard against bad actors and preserve trust within the caller ID authentication system, the Governance Authority that oversees the STIR/SHAKEN framework may revoke a voice service provider’s SPC token. Because this revocation process enables the Governance Authority to make decisions that would render voice service providers noncompliant with the FCC’s rules, the FCC adopted a process for review of those revocation decisions by the Governance Authority. After the Wireline Competition Bureau’s (“Bureau”) initial decision, voice service providers may appeal to the full Commission.

Voice service providers aggrieved by a Governance Authority revocation decision may file a request for review to the FCC within 60 days after completing the Governance Authority appeal process. The Commission would allow third parties to participate in the proceeding, but only to file oppositions and replies.